The Dissenter
by Secondhand Soul
Summary: I do not own ToS. His memories, lost, rare as the wind in that cursed place. It's funny how some things worked out in the end- how she needed him now. But, maybe, he was really the one who needed her. She only wanted to help him, but now... he changed.
1. Petrified

The Dissenter

Chapter One

**A/N: Yes, Anna is based off of me. A bit. Not much though. Anyway, I'm rewriting The Winds of Change, and this is the prequel. **

**Enjoy!**

_**Dissent: v) to disagree, rebel, dispute or oppose an idea or a person. **_

"_Loyalty to a petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul."_

_-Mark Twain_

Wind.

It was the one thing from The Outside that Annabelle Griff could feel seeping through the cracks of her prison. Even the bulwark of the great complex could not keep out the corrosive power of nature. To her it represented change, embodied freedom, and put hope into her life; for it meant there was a greater world on the other side of that stone wall.

She pressed her hand to the cool surface, feeling the cool breeze waft in between her fingertips, shivering as it teased her bare skin.

The world she barely remembered had been a green world, far from the cold grays and hopeless blacks of her current residence. There had been so many shades of green, each life incarnate, so far from her loneliness and her pain. So far from the threat of death that waited to take her every waking moment.

The room she lived in was of a size not worth mention, sparse walls painted dismal black to impede any hopeful light in its quest to bring her warmth. It was in a constant state of darkness, a terribly lonely place to be. One lost all sense of orientation when imprisoned in its walls.

Today she'd woken at her usual time to find an unusual static in the air. Her guards were tense, far more irritable than usual, beating her for a particularly loud yawn, and muttering among themselves. Of the few words she'd managed to hear before they saw her staring, she had heard something of an important visitor. This put her under the impression that this person was someone her captors wished to please, some one of great influence in this place, even more than Lord K'var.

The swish of the doors awakened her from her stupor, and she turned her head to see the source of this disturbance.

It was a man.

He was quite unlike anything she'd ever seen here, an eerily beautiful creature. He looked so morose, his shadow hidden face drawn into a guarded scowl. He was so pale that she thought he was a ghost of some lost heart, vanished in the maze of this great place; perhaps even sent to harvest her soul.

With a careless wave of his hand he dismissed his entourage, and then approached her. He was so surreal, skimming across the surface of the floor, an angel of death, veiled in white.

White was so sterile a color, almost blinding her in the blackness that belonged only to her; it was so foreign a color to her familiar world.

He grabbed her face, though not in the harsh manner of her guards, and forced her gaze towards his with a gentle twist of his wrist. She found him crouching in front of her, his shoulder length auburn hair falling in a curtain about them. He gazed at her with composure in his interminable eyes, the color of Hell, smoldering like a great fire, flecked with ashes. Her breath hitched as he carefully reached up and began to check her teeth with an almost surgical disposition. When he was finished with her dental examination, he reached down to touch the strange pulsing jewel her captors had embedded at the base of her throat. He clicked his tongue in a dissatisfied manor, and then stood with a flourish, taking her with him. He dissected her form with his eyes, making her feel like a specimen on a table, and then he spoke.

"A012," his voice smooth as black velvet, a deep and rich baritone ", you are to be transported to a new location. Upon finishing the examination I have discovered you are not in good care."

She stared in disbelief, her eyes as wide as saucers, shivering in the cold. Teeth chattering uncontrollably, she nodded hesitantly in response.

His expressionless eyes glanced toward the door, and K'var entered a moment later, looking almost edgy. The man didn't turn to face him, but spoke none the less, his tone flat. "She stays with me, K'var."

K'var's bony face twisted into an awful expression, somewhere between a snarl and revulsion", Milord! She's just…"

"_My experiment_," the man stated bluntly ", I would remind you of this."

This silenced K'var, though his eyes still seethed with silent venom. "Of course, Milord."

He approached her, looked her over again, and then placed a hand in the small of her back to steer her ", gaunt child, I shall feed you."

She stared up at the man who towered over her, confused by his words and the sudden grim satisfaction in his eyes.

"I will not harm you," he guaranteed her, misunderstanding her expression.

He began to push her from the room, and she became suddenly afraid, for it had been long since she last had left the security of her cell. Yet he seemed so strong, the muscles of his chest pressed tight against her back, that it gave her confidence, and so she progressed through the excruciatingly bright hallways. The Desians, her captors clad in leather armor, gossiped about them merrily, as it they were school children instead of monsters.

Eventually, their journey came to an abrupt halt at a small door made of wood instead of metal. He pushed open the door to reveal a spacious apartment with natural furniture and many windows looking onto the outside world "; to your left is a hallway. The door on your immediate right is a closet."

"Feel free to use any of these facilities save for the bedroom at the end of the hallway," he informed her in a dry tone.

She could only assume that was his bedroom. He clicked his tongue yet again, and then led her through the small living space to a room she could only assume to be a kitchen.

"What do you enjoy eating?" he asked of her, eyeing her with disdain as she stood futilely in the door way.

"I… don't know," she admitted in a voice that sounded foreign to her; the voice of a grown woman.

His stare was immeasurable. "How long is it that you have been here?"

"I was taken when I was just a girl, 14 maybe…? I'm about twenty now."

"A measure of six years," he stated as if it were a simple fact. "Four of which you were the Angelus Project."

He began to make something, more efficient than the strange metal beings she's seen in this place. The silence was imperious, and so she spoke, not sure of what to say.

What came out of her mouth was word babble, something she's never intended to ask him, she was sure, after all, of his intentions; she was simply an experiment ."You seem different. Why are you helping me?"

"I am no different," he countered, seeming a bit put out. "You are my prized experiment. K'var was merely sullying my plaything, so I took it away from him."

"But…" she continued, marveling at the peculiar man and his ways ", you don't look like them. You look like a human, not a Half-Elf."

He dropped his paring knife at this comment, eyes growing a bit wide ", it is true, and I am human… am I not?"

After a moment, his eyes narrowed and he shook his head ", no. You are the doll, so why is it you who plays with me? You shouldn't speak. You know not that it is death you so indolently entice."

"Who are you?" she insisted, feeling bold.

"I am…" he trailed off, eyes glazing over ", I have forgotten."

"How can you forget who you are?" she wondered, and he shook his head.

"Anything is feasible when infinity spans before you."

Though she didn't appreciate what he'd said, she looked up with him with buoyant eyes and spoke ", I am Annabelle Griff."

Grunting, he slammed her food down before her and whirled away.

**A/N: Well, what do you think?**

**Yay? Nay?**

**Read and Review, please!**

_Next Chapter: Our unknown man makes a startling discovery… His own name!_

_What will our daring heroine think of the food?_

_And just where is K'var's toupee (lol jking)?_

_All this and more next chapter in The Dissenter. _


	2. Kratos Aurion

The Dissenter

Chapter Two

"_We forget because we must, and not because we will."_

_Matthew Arnold_

**A/M: Thanks to badculture for all her **_**wonderful**_** advice, and thanks to Tonga and Symphoniafan as well, for their ever-valuable opinions. I'm writing this for everyone who loves Kranna, and who wants to see the classic story of the **_**true**_** star-crossed lovers renewed. So your support is appreciated greatly. **

Fury.

It plagued him, refusing to release its hold on his heart. His fury was a monster with gleaming golden eyes and fangs that flashed sinisterly in the light. It had come from crouching in the back of his mind with silent vigil, to roaring vehemently for him to take action. The target of his growing ire would likely be the scapegoat, K'var.

The fluorescents scorched his back, casting an unnatural glow through out the hallways. The urgent need to shatter the lights into oblivion crept up his spine, bout he suppressed it with a great show of constraint. His hand wandered to the hilt of his beloved sword, The Flamberge, caressing it with ancient affection.

The blade had been with him for nearly his entire existence, serving as his oldest companion; and so his bond with the weapon was deep as the Ancient River Anmemnisis (1). Stroking the hilt pacified him, chasing the beast back into its lonely cavern.

Still, he felt the need to release his rage onto an unsuspecting K'var, and so he rounded the corner with sharpness in his step, approaching the Control Room. The doors hummed with electric energy, opening as he neared them, as if spirits possessed them.

The room he entered was kept in darkness, lit only by the incandescence of the Magitechnology monitors placed sporadically through out the room. The glow they cast was ghastly and unearthly shade of blue that bathed the space in an ominous light. It gave one the impression that you had entered Death's Dining Hall. The room itself was shaped as a hemisphere, the wall opposite the entry mimicking the gentle curve of the archer's bow. It was lined with the majority of the monitors, who guarded the Death Ranch with their clandestine gaze. The center of the room was home to a gilded chair that pivoted for easy viewing of the kingdom of butchery. It was, of course, constructed entirely of metal, glinting dully in the half-light of the monitors.

"You've moved her from my view," the lanky man seated in the chair spat, turning to face the trespasser.

Backlit by the monitors, K'var appeared a ghoul. His skin was sallow and his cheeks hallow. His downy blonde head appeared as static in the gloom of the chamber, befitting of his mechanical nature. " I am the fourth generation of my family who had served the Lord. You would think I would be highly trusted after years of faithful cooperation.

He did not speak, only stared, the beast within snarling savagely for its release. It narrowed its opal eyes; bristling in its lust for blood, not ready to be sated with a simple retort. It appeared too hunger for blood.

"While it is true you authorized my little… experiment," K'var droned on ", I will remind you that it is_ I_ who have nurtured it for these past four years. You have had no hand in its development before now. In fact, you have never taken and interest. She is mine."  
Exerting a great deal of control he managed not to sever the man's head clean from his neck; he settled, instead, for a simmering retort. "One such as myself easily looses track of time. Or, perhaps, your memory has left you in your old age? Is this why you so carelessly disregard rank? It seems to me you've outlived your usefulness."

He savored his victory as the man's smug expression transformed into one of mortification. The bony face lost its color, becoming the pallor of dearth (yes, I meant to use dearth).

He snorted, flipped his hair from his eyes, and spun on the heel of his boot." Do as you will, merely do not intrude in my affairs."

He was aware the sniveling man cringed away when he rushed from the room, his anger no more gratified than when he'd arrived. Having little choice he determined to return to his quarters. With unequivocal grace he traversed the halls at a great velocity, mind abundant with questions. So he allowed his mind to wander for the first time in a perceived eternity, and gave his instinct full control of his body.

Human was the word she had so casually thrown at him as if it meant nothing. Though he was sure she did not understand the gravity that that one word possessed in this world of compulsion. Humanity was an inferior tribe, vermin and bigots… but, were Half-Elves not the same? Was not _he _a Human? Were not both of his parents imbued with the genetics to make him such?

How the drones must deplore him.

In the metal he beheld his reflection, halting in his progress to stare. How ungodly he appeared! Skin so pale he did not recognize the individual who returned his glance with an apathetic gaze. He reached up a hesitant hand to touch his echo's slender finger tips to his own. His mind screamed out as he came to the knowledge that he could not feel the cool of the metal beneath his palm. He watched in detached terror as his troubled mind jolted awake from its slumber.

He was aware of his world.

He was Kratos Aurion once again.

Like lightning, hissing as though he'd been branded, he withdrew his hand from the wall. As he panted, absently grasping at the stone on his collar bone, he noted the feverish quality of his eyes.

"Lord?"

Spinning, teeth gritted in a grimace, he spun on the interloper, claw-like hand grasping the Half-Elf's jugular. As he came to himself, slowly regaining control of his limbs, he dropped the nearly asphyxiated man in a heap on the floor.

Then, with nary a glance behind him, he fled to his apartment. He fled to lock away the ghosts threatening to overwhelm him, and to close his eyes to his own morality.

He fled to loose himself in the darkness of his mind.

………

She was not entirely sure what to do, sitting at the island with a half-eaten potato. It was a bland dish made with little passion, want for any seasoning. She wished she could find salt and pepper, or maybe even a little butter, but his pantry was bare. In fact, there was almost nothing edible in the entire kitchen. Still, the bland potato was filling, and it made her limbs leaden and her eyelids heavy.

Worn, she crept down the hallway, relieved when the first door she opened was a bed room. Pulling off her ragged garb and casting it to the floor without so much as a care, she clambered up onto the mattress.

She sunk into the deep mattress, drawing the comforter about her shoulders and sighing contentedly. She hoped, deep in her heart, the man was all right.

He was so dark, his eyes veiled behind a carefully constructed curtain of apathy. He was a Human, just like her; a Human man who seemed to have become as a Half-Elf. Silently, she prayed to her goddess Martel to open his eyes. He was so lonely, and she knew the goddess would help him. He seemed to her a fallen angel with crippled wings, imprisoned as she. Maybe, she thought, he just didn't realize it yet.

Maybe he had just forgotten he was Human.

**A/N: WHEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, another re-written chapter! I really hope you all enjoy my little story and continue to read! Much love form one author to others!**

_Next Chapter: Our hero and heroine finally have a long conversation!_

_Will Anna let Kratos forget who he is?_

_Why does Kratos find it difficult to talk to Anna?_

_All this next time ^_-!_


	3. Heart

Chapter Three

The Dissenter

"_No person is your friend who demands your silence or denies your right to grow."_

_Alice Walker_

**A/N: I decided to try something a bit different. I've always liked Yuan, and so, flexing my Point of View muscle, I worked this until it was unbearably Yuan. I figured a third party perspective on just what is happening to Kratos at this point is pivotal to the rest of the story. I can't guarantee that this it the last "third party" chapter, but I hope you enjoy it, regardless. Rest assured, much work was put into this project. **

**Also, a bit of a note. There is a time skip here, a gap between the last chapter and this one. I'd say about a year, in which Anna has completely changed Kratos. Don't worry, what happened in that year will be recalled in a later chapter by Kratos. I wanted to attempt a bit of a perspective switch. I lie to mess with my timelines. **

Silence.

Yuan felt it around him, almost oppressive in its nature. To be quite frank, he wasn't surprised; Kratos Aurion didn't have much of a personality these days. The man usually seemed almost unbearably bland, and Yuan could not stand to be in a room with him, most days. Today, however, something seemed different. The usual silence was not from the standard brand of wordlessness, but a brand new type, stemming from some secret woe the human would not share with their "Grand Leader."

He watched as the man, uncharacteristically apprehensive, thrummed his long fingers on the mahogany table. Surely, he didn't expect his almost fearful behavior to go unnoticed for long? If there was one thing Kratos Aurion had never been in his life, it was a fool; and so Yuan knew that whatever weighed on his mind was of great importance to get even such a small reaction.

Still, when had this sudden change occurred? Yuan knew that the man was in charge of The Angelus Project, something that The Lord had been elated with, and wondered if his sudden emotional state had been caused by the Angelus Project. Yet it seemed highly unlikely that such a seemingly insignificant part of his life could cause something akin to anxiety in the man; he was stoic Aurion, after all. The only way he could ever know would be to ask.

He looked up from his papers when he sensed the aura of the man in question, a tumult of dark tendrils, reaching up to probe him. The man looked terrible, more so than his usually chalky paleness.

"You look like hell, completely exhausted. What's going on?" he paused, shook his head. "Or am I overstepping my bounds by asking?"

The man stared down at him, his eyes in chaos, dark and unsettled ", has a test subject ever… grieved you before?"

"It depends on what you mean," he stated bluntly ", though I don't see that that answers my question."

"Has a test subject ever changed your outlook on this subsistence? Has a test subject ever made you yearn for something… something other than what we boast?"

Yuan blinked his eyes once in honest shock ", you, the great, inflexible Aurion changing your mind all because of a test subject?! Me, perhaps, but you?! Are you pulling my leg? Is this some elaborate joke meant to bend me to your will, or are you honest?"

"I pledge to you, I have never been so affirmative about anything in my entire… life."

There was something in the set of his jaw, something in the gleam of his eye that warned Yuan off from further questioning. This was a man of resolve. This was a man who believed sincerely in something. "What has happened to you?"

"An…," he shook his head, then began again. "The Angelus Project had happened to me."

"You were going to say the name, weren't you?!" Yuan demanded, and the man's lack of answer was enough. He was embarrassed to say, proof of his mistake. "You were!"

"Anna is her name."

Yuan smiled slyly, his eyes dark with implications. "You sound fond."

"I am not… fond," the man puffed, his tone incensed.

"You are so, you self-important Human," he taunted. "The confirmation is in your tone. If you were not fond, you would not sound so melancholy."

"We have departed our subject, Yuan. How would you counsel me?"

"Who's altering subject?" he muttered, snapping his attention up to the other's eyes. "My opinion is this: Follow the heart that now beats in you torso. Don't ignore intuition. I have found she is a great ally in my own exploits."

"My intuition says to spirit her away. If I do that I am betraying the confidence of our mutual comrade."

"So?"

The single question lingered in the air for another extensive moment, and the Human seemed to savor it, trepidation dawning at his own ideas of mutiny. He looked up; his eyes filled with something Yuan could not place. "I … cannot permit her to die. My need to maintain her life is far greater than my need to comply with The Lord's will."

"I'm interested now, about this woman. Who is she that can move mountains by turning Kratos against his master?"

"I need a vow of confidentiality from you, Yuan. Nothing I alleged or am about to state reaches the ears of any, save for you."

"You're gong to tell me about her?!" he asked, feeling much like a small child.

"Pledge to me."

"I swear, on the Goddess Coincidence, that I will not enlighten a soul. You should know that Coincidence is my greatest ally."

"I'll take confidence in you, Yuan."

He felt the air of silence change, shifting to a spirit of dissention. Yuan knew suddenly that what ever was about to happen would render this world changed in a way that could never be reversed. Kratos was, after all, one who would shake the bulwark of the world when he decided to move, even if his deliberation was longer than most may wish.

Ears alert, the Half-Elf turned to heat the Human speak, encouraged that a collaborator in his battle against compliance did indeed exist.

**A/N: I hope you liked this one. I tried to go as cannon as I could with Yuan, and I hope his fans that read this enjoy him in this story. Next time I begin the relation of Kratos tale to Yuan; the story of how he came to change his heart.**

**We'll also see his budding love. **

**Exiting. **


	4. Wine

The Dissenter

Chapter Three

"_I think history is inextricably linked to identity. If you don't know your history, if you don't know your family, who are you?"_

_-Mary Pipher_

"_All the world is a stage,_

_All the men and woman merely players._

_They have their exits and entrances;_

_Each man in his time plays many parts. "_

_William Shakespeare _

**(A/N): Well, two quotes this time because I couldn't decide on just one. The first is because it really fits Kratos' feelings in this chapter, the other because it really fits the overall feel of my series of stories based off Symphonia. Any way, enjoy this chapter which I'm sure some of you enjoy. Thanks to my readers for their feed back!**

The gods had never once been so cruel to him as to send him such a judgment in the form of a skeletal child with the face of a marionette. Never before had he been faced with a problem he could not over come, until she came his way. She was the bulk of a twelve year old girl, but as sallow as a POW, her head as bald a new born whelp. She pleaded with her lilac shaded eyes, her face so damnably innocent it had somehow managed to thaw even his frozen heart, depending upon circumstance.

"But why won't you tell me why you're here?" Her voice had no substance, did not carry far, but he still understood her words.

"It is none of your concern," he reminded, exhibiting his control once more in an attempt to keep the growl from his voice.

"Why not? I'm your charge, aren't I?"

"Charge, as I have alleged on many an occasion, is not the correct word for what you are. I've deemed you my responsibility. This is a more precise portrayal of our relationship, A012."

She pouted, her already large lips made larger still by this simple action ". That makes me sound like an animal!"

"That," he replied ", is the point of the matter."

He blessed the silence as it descended about him, a canopy of reprieve from her constant chatter. It was reminiscent of the finest wine he'd ever partaken of, it's tonal quality that of music preformed by the most sophisticated orchestra this world had to offer.

If he had been truly wise he would have seem this coming; once life had been returned to her it should have became blatantly obvious that her nature was a jovial one. Unfortunately, he had been no such thing, and so now he was confined to narrow chambers with a woman who uttered a nearly constant flow of chatter.

He looked down at her, saw her shaking shoulders, and then turned away. Was she truly crying over something as trivial as the spoken word? Humans were so weak, so pathetic; he could scarcely believe her unseemly display of emotion.

"Did you forget?" she suddenly whispered, her voice wary.

He disregarded her gaze, for the appalling innocence it held pleaded wordlessly with him to answer her inquiry. He could sense her stare boring into his shoulder, penetrating his skin to observe the quivering light of his soul.

"Don't you remember that you're human?"

"We've been over this before, A012," he growled, unable to keep malice from his voice ", I am _not_ Human. You are never to suggest otherwise, have I made myself clear?"

She looked wounded, but she looked upon him with a silent fortitude within those eyes. "I don't believe you."

His teeth snapped together involuntarily, and his nostrils flared as he glared down at her. "You. Are. Infuriating. Me."

His breath came out in short puffs as he tried fleetingly to suppress his urge to catapult her across the room.

She rose from the stool, seeming to ignore him, her stance forcibly casual. He was appalled by her gall, how she deigned to ignore him as if he was insignificant. This only served to stoke the embers of his rage into a roaring flame. "It would be unwise to continue to provoke me, Angelus Project."

"Provoke you?" she snapped, and the tension in the atmosphere about them mounted in retort. "Provoke _you_?! Listen, it takes two to build a relationship, whether it's friends of just acquaintances. _You _are the worse roommate here, buddy, not me. I'm trying hard as I can to help you and…"

"Help _me_? _Help me? ME?!_" he roared, and then became still.

When he spoke again, his voice was filled with rancor. "If I were you, I would revise that proclamation in consideration of legitimacy."

"Yes, help _you_," the tone she spoke in was flat. "You're the one in a state of identity crisis."

"Identity crisis?" he hissed. "I know _precisely _who I am."

"Who are you then?" she demanded, standing directly adjacent from him, her eyes fill with challenge.

The air in that kitchen was thick as they stood, her furious eyes staring into his, daring him to answer with everything she had.

"I am Kratos Aurion," he retorted, his words rumbling off the black granite countertops, and then falling flat on the floor.

"And just who is Kratos Aurion?" she challenged, something akin to pride in her lavender eyes.

He turned away, making sure to slam the metal door hard enough that its well oiled hinges would creak in protest. From behind him she called out ", I knew you would run!"

When the time came to terminate her life he'd be more than happy to authorize the operation. He could no longer stand her constant defiance and unending chatter. At the same time retreating to the sanctity of his chambers was almost admitting defeat.

He ran a hand through his auburn locks, sighing morosely; it was far too late to turn back. It was too late to return to the safety of oblivion. Now that he had verbalized it there was no turning back.

He was Kratos Aurion, of that he was sure.

For a few days it had seemed his dilemma in the hallways had been but a nightmare, or perhaps some twisted joke his mind had played on him. It did have a pattern of being sadistic, after all.

Now he knew the truth.

Kratos Aurion was not a figment of his imagination no more than the girl in the other room, nor was he an old friend of his.

He was Kratos Aurion and he would have to live up to that name.

He would have to, even it he did not know that name's meaning.

… … …

Yuan chuckled ", Identity crisis? _Really_? Sounds like an interesting woman."

Kratos snorted ", Interesting does not begin to describe a woman with as many facets as she."

The hawkish man smiled eyes full of an ironic type of playfulness. "You _are _fond!"

"I am not," the man stated darkly. "you know as well as I that mine being _fond _is an impossibility."

"I'm not so sure," Yuan declared quite seriously.

Kratos scoffed, and Yuan smiled, leaning down to open a cabinet by his side. He produced a bottle of wine a moment later. "This draft is one of the last existing bottles of Paragonian Wine. I know how fond of it you are."

He poured two glasses of the alcohol, smiling knowingly. "Ah, the days when this was common slop! It's now become a drink fit for gods!"

Kratos chuckled softly ", One man's slop is another's nectar."

"Now, indulge me further and go on with your charming tale of the dearest Angelus Project…"

"Very well."

So Kratos once again began to speak.

**(A/N): Well, let me know what you all think of this installment. **


	5. Start Again

The Dissenter

Chapter Five

"_A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it."_

_-Jean de La Fontaine _

The room was steeped in darkness, washing over him in a calming wave. The shades of black were kaleidoscopic in front of his eyes, dancing like a million tiny sprites in front of his eyes. He slid down the wall, the stability of it the only thing keeping him standing. He cradled his head in his hands, knees tucked to his chest, and glared at the wooden planks beneath him. He imagined he looked like some kind of incandescent monster, glowing softly white in the pitch of blackness.

Somewhere he heard a door slam, and he supposed that A012 was retreating to her own chambers. Really, what choice did she have? He likely was not anything remotely resembling a companion. What had she said "; it takes two to build a relationship?"

How had he allowed this to happen? It seemed his entire being had burned to ashes. What was he doing here? He felt painfully empty, as if he was living for nothing; he was, wasn't he? He had no purpose, a senseless, worthless being who on one wanted.

The world soulless came to mind, invoking an image of a pale angel with hair spun of gold in his memory.

_Mithos Yggdrasill._

"I am…," he whispered, staring at his hands, dyed suddenly red.

_Kratos Aurion._

"I am a murderer."

Shock.

Then there was nothing, no denial, only cool acceptance.

Indifference.

With every breath he began to hate himself more.

Then, he began to hate her.

This was _her_ fault. Her fault he was so confused. Her fault he could _feel_. If he could not feel, and before her arrival he could not, he would not doubt himself. He would not loathe himself.

"Kratos? Are you all right?" she asked from the other side of the door, her voice almost gently.

"Why should you care?" he spat. "Leave me."

"Kratos." she sighed and he could feel her sudden weight through the door, as if she leaned upon it. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… You just seemed so lonely."

Lonely?

Yes, he was lonely, but that was not his problem. If he could forget feeling, forget her that, too, would soon flee from him.

"Wench, leave, I said."

"Please, just listen to me!" she pleaded softly. "I know you hate me, and while it's true I find you annoying, I don't hate you. You're so alone because you won't let anyone help you. You've built a wall."

"Wall? Woman, what…"

"For some reason, your wall's crumbling. I can't imagine the pain you're in right now. You must hate yourself for being so helpless, for not being able to remember."

"I remember."

Her answer was skeptical ", but you still hate yourself."

He stared ahead at the wall, painted dismal black, reflecting something he should have perhaps seen this entire time. He was a demon.

"Don't be sad, there's still hope. _I _don't see you as evil. If you were, I'd still be in that cell. You're just afraid."

He snorted ", I fear nothing, girl."

"You fear feeling."

"Who are you?" he muttered, his voice more broken than he would have liked. "What are you doing to me? I simply want this ache to cease, and it will not until you perish."

"Kratos . I …," he heard her voice choke off in a strangled sob, and grudgingly wondered if she was okay. She would not suffer on his account. "I don't know what you mean. I'm no one, just a prisoner. Do you honestly think I'm involved in what you're feeling?"

"This feeling did not occur until you arrived in my quarters," he growled. "You came, and you tore everything I was asunder."

"That makes no sense."

"It does not need to. It is truth."

The silence held in the air between them, not angry, not thoughtful, simply silence. It claimed him, erased the words he had spoken, and allowed him to view his situation with discretion.

"It doesn't, does it?"

He heard her stand, and began to yearn for her to stay. She opened the door, burning his eyes with the light's intrusion, and sat beside him. "Nothing ever does," she whispered, and he speculated if he was meant to hear.

He lost track of time as they sat, shoulder to shoulder, not speaking, staring into the abyss of him own personal hell. Why had he hated her? It was true she was the source of his woe, but it was not as if it was her fault. She was not trying to ruin him. A012 was a good person in her heart, and though this did not mend his own wounds, he realized that it may indeed be a start.

She fell asleep, leaning against him in her slumber, and so he scooped her into his arms, cradling her as a parent a child. He laid her on his own bed, unused until this moment, and pulled the comforter about her. Satisfied, he exited the room, closing the door as not to disturb her.

"Fond of you little pet, Milord?" asked an all too familiar voice from the doorway at the hallway's end. "It may become difficult to terminate it if you behavior persists."

"Fret not. It is none of you concern."

He faced then, the bony Desian, whose black eyes danced with malicious fire.

"Well, that is not for much longer." The man grinned thinly. "I have received orders she is to be terminated for Exspere Retrieval this time next year."

He suppressed his growing panic and channeled it into rage. Teeth snapping together, he glid down to hall to the Grand Cardinal, eyes spitting flames ", Very well, now take your leave, K'var. Your message has been delivered."

"Hmm? Why are you so put out? You should be pleased. After all, you are one of out leaders. Perhaps you are not fit. An Inferior Being is always inferior, after all, even if you _do _boost its power."

"Leave."

"Very well, Lord Aurion. Simply know that I will not tolerate your relationship in my Ranch."

The door clicked shut behind him.

Rage seeped from every pore on his being, rage that just as swiftly turned to regret.

Her termination would become progressively more difficult every day she was here in his chambers.

He should have never removed her from the cell.


	6. Remarkable

The Dissenter

Chapter Six

"_Coincidence is the word we use when we can't see the levers and pulleys."_

_- Emma Bull_

Kratos watched her.

She breathed very slowly as she slept, and he had to admit to a certain degree of envy. The days seemed to grate on him so, most prominently as of late, and it caused him to long for the maternal embrace of slumber. She was not aware that he was watching her, but he did so nonetheless. He found her Human mannerisms fascinating; the way she shifted in her sleep from side to back every couple of hours, or the expressions that played on her face when she was dreaming. These things did not happen to him, for he did not need to sleep as she did.

He had been spending more and more time in thought lately, and currently the Grand Cardinal K'Var was the foremost thing on his mind. The man's words disturbed him. In all honesty, he doubted that The Angelus Project would be completed in a years time. He had also insinuated that he, of all beings, had _feelings_ for _his own experiment_. That was an impossibility. Did he have sudden hesitations? Perhaps, but it did not mean he would fail to carry through with the execution of the experiment. He was no the type of man who only did things half way, and he tended to pride himself on being thorough. He also wondered how much the young girl really knew about all he had planned. It certainly seemed she knew that he intended for her to die, but he could never be sure, and if she did indeed know, then why was it that she tried so hard to be amiable?

"Are you watching me sleep?" she muttered, and he glanced down to see inscrutable violet eyes shimmering in the dark of the bedchamber.

"Shush. Go back to sleep, A012."

She sighed, rolled over on her side, and propped herself up on her elbow. In this position, her head rested in her hand, looking quite large and heavy, compared to the rest of her body. "I wish you'd call me Anna."

For an infinite moment he stared at her, then shook his head once, setting his eyes on the much less interesting pillows behind her.

"And why not, Kratos?"

"It is an impossibility," to be honest, he did not want to risk becoming too attached to her, not when he would be the one to murder her.

He vaguely wondered when he had begun to think of ending her existence as murder.

"Kratos."

She was using the tone that mothers use to reprimand their disobedient children. Never before had anyone made use of that tone with him.

"Look at me, please."

He felt very much like a tot being scolded for some minor error in judgment, and he guiltily met her gaze. She was sitting up, legs crossed one over the other. Her bald head shone as a lighthouse on the shore in the darkness of the room. She looked much more at ease, but the shadows of the prisoner of war still haunted her face; shadows he knew all too well.

"Is it really that hard to call me Anna, Kratos?"

"When I am to be the one to terminate you? I would say that the point you pose becomes moot. I do not think that you fully comprehend the direness of your current situation." He was grim, watching her with a cautionary gaze, attempting to gauge her reaction.

"You really do mean to kill me, don't you?" her voice was broken, as if she'd been secretly hoping otherwise; naïve girl.

"I have no choice," he sounded cold, though his heart pumped his blood so furiously that his ears rang with its efforts.

"You can _not_ kill me…" she paused, then spoke in a rush of words ",or you can save me."

The thought of rebelling had never occurred to him before. It was oddly intriguing, though his resolve would not, could not, falter. Still, he found that fact that the idea even appealed to him disturbing. What if she managed to convince him to dissent with her wiles? His own leader, one of his best friends, he had not spoken to in years. It was a lonely existence, but it was for the greater good.

He ran a hand through his unruly auburn mop, musing at this newly developed nervous habit. "Do you realize what you ask of me?"

"There are always risks to every action, big or small."

He looked away once again, her words embedding themselves deep within his conciseness. He realized they were fact, of course. He had experienced their truth innumerable times, be at the blade's edge or in the arms of a woman. Consequence was as the dust beneath his feet.

"Did you know I was raised in Luin?" she questioned, her tone instantly casual.

The weight in the air began to dissipate, but he was unable to quell his inherent suspicion of her. She was no fool, and he would not underestimate her.

"I was adopted into the Griff family along with Alexander, my only biological relation. Thomas, my father, told me he found us bloodied up on Luin's outskirts. He suspected our parents were victims of the Human Ranch. I guess I was fated to end up here, one way or another." She laughed weakly, and he snapped his eyes to her, only to find her already transfixed with his figure.

"I loved my other siblings, too. I have two elder brothers beside Alex, Thomas Jr. and Phioro. I also have two sisters, Susan, who's older than me, and Chloe, who's younger. We were all so close, so sometimes I wonder why they haven't tried to rescue me. I wonder if they ever really even cared about me at all."

She looked so profoundly sorrowful when she finished speaking, and he could not blame her. Being separated from those you love is one thing, but being abandon by them is another entirely. Empathy was a strange creature.

"What about you Kratos? Do you have family?"

He shook his head, though he was sorely tempted to report to her the events of his past. "I… cannot. I…"

"It's all right. I understand."

"I'm sorry."

She looked at him, then laughed. "You're such a strange man."

He turned his head away, coming to the realization that he was looking upon her in an odd way.

"Annabelle…"

He felt her grin radiate from across the room. "You said my name!'

He was distracted by her smile as he turned to face her. This was a remarkable woman, and he wondered yet again if he could bring himself to kill her.

**A/N: Next chapter the pace will pick up. We have exiting revelations about Yggy and K'Var! Wait till you see what I have planned. Anyway, sorry this took so long. Kranna writer's block. Enjoy. **


	7. Angelic Discord

**The Dissenter**

**Chapter Seven**

"_**Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become."**_

_**- Anonymous**_

"**Every day I began to see more and more what a blessing she was," the man concluded; his eyes staring at the rooms of his apartment, and not at his companion before him. "Yet that is not what changed me so. I believe you will remember the occasion quite well, Yuan."**

**The Half-Elf, his grey eyes (A/N: I know they're green in-game, but I'm taking artistic license) full of understanding, nodded. "I remember all too well. Yggdrasill struck you."**

**Kratos snorted, fingering the stem of his wine glass thoughtfully. He leaned forward, an intense look in his eyes. "Well, he deserved my words. The sting of a slap is nothing compared to what he intends."**

**Yuan smiled.**

"**I remember that morning, for Anna was concerned I would not return, and that K'Var would once again come to possess her. To quell her fears, I gave her the key to the door, and assured her that she would be in control while I was gone…"**

… … …

**The warp pad stared up at him, much like the soulless eyes of the Murders upon Derris-Kharlan. Not that he was afraid, nothing there could touch him, it was simply that he would be lonely without Annabelle's constant chatter and inherent warmth. That thought did not bring him particular pleasure for he did not like to think of himself as dependent upon her. Yet there was a certain sorrow in leaving her alone in his vast quarter by herself, and a distinct bitter taste in his mouth when he thought of it. Unfortunate Annabelle, so mortified by the thought of a week alone.**

**With out another thought otherwise, he steeled himself and stepped upon that platform which would spirit him away to the Great Comet. He did not relish the feeling of his molecules being slowly disassembled and then reconstituted thousands of miles away, in the void of space. **

**He was expected.**

**Standing across the bridge was Yggdrasill, his pale, epicene leader, flanked by his usual entourage. Pronyma, her cascading aquamarine locks framing her feminine form, smiled smoothly at him, though her eyes held scorn. Tall, adroit, with hawk-like features; Yuan Charter (A/N: I HATE **-_** hate**_ - _**HATE**_ - DoNW, and do not respect it as canon at all. This is why I go with a strictly fanon last name for Yuan) stood at his right hand.

"Kratos," Yggdrasill cooed, gliding forward to greet the man ", how have you been? It's been quite awhile, old friend."

" Well enough, I suppose," he stated in a plain manner.

Yuan, eyes dancing with some realization, focused his unnerving gaze upon Kratos, his thin lips pulled into a caustic smile. He looked strangely sinister in the darkness of the ether of space.

" I'm glad to hear so. I was so worried about you. K'Var reported that you had become attached to The Angelus Project, but, looking at you now, I can't see why I was ever worried," the voice he spoke in was honey sweet, though there was a baleful undercurrent. "This _is _Kratos we're speaking of. He is my most loyal companion."

Pronyma nodded in accordance, and Yuan chuckled.

"In any case, what he is doing now is for the benefit of the world. It honors my Sister's dearest wish: to end discrimination between the races. She imagined a world where all races are equal, and The Angelus Project will help me accomplish her goal."

Kratos stared at his leader blankly. " Tell me, Yggdrasill, what do you mean?"

"Do you not know?" Yuan asked, his voice filled with a warning Kratos did not understand.

"Yuan," Yggdrasill stated blandly ", Allow me my explanation."

With no resistance, Yuan backed down, but his face was filled with vexation.

"We will meet later, the three of us, in Martel's chamber. We will discuss it then. For now, let us convene in the council chamber."

The hours passed with talk of the next Chosen on Sylvarant, and what exactly would be done. Kratos found himself counting the moments until he discovered how Annabelle was to be involved in ending discrimination. At long last the meeting ended, and Kratos stood in a fluid motion, following Yggdrasill and Yuan from the room.

Through the halls of the white, metal world they traversed until they reached the floating ruins of an ancient palace and entered its inner sanctum; where Martel waited patiently suspended in sleep.

"I plan to use the Cruxis Crystal's powers to create the perfect world: a world of lifeless beings, just like us."

Kratos would never be sure what happened at that moment, but Yggdrasill's words struck something deep within him. _Just like us._ Did he not have a soul with which to feel? How could someone whom he respected so do such a terrible thing? What had happened to the innocence of the boy?

"When that happens no one will ever be able to discriminate against Half-Elves ever again," the child-like voice echoed in his ringing ears, and the world burned red around his eyes.

He was helping Yggdrasill try to do the impossible. He was assisting in the appropriation of the souls of the world. He was wrong, so wrong; and he had blinded himself. Annabelle… she had been right all the long. He did not belong here. _You seem different… You look like a Human, not a Half-Elf. And just who is Kratos Aurion?_

Kratos Aurion was a traitor to Humanity, no, to the entirety of the Races; but it did not have to be so. There was still time to atone.

"Kratos, are you all right?"

Yggdrasill's voice pulled him from the seclusion of his mind.

"I am more than all right, " he responded. "I know who I am now, for the first time in many, many years."

"What do you mean?" was the demand, stark as vacuous space.

"I mean that your plan to drain people of their souls is ludicrous. I am beginning to question you sanity."

"_I am choosing to ignore that statement."_

"No. Listen to what I am saying. You are wrong. You are wrong to do this to people who have done nothing to you."

"_Stop speaking…"_

"Martel would not want this."

"_SHUT UP!"_

The slap rang through the silence and emptiness of the chamber, and Yggdrasill stared down with fevered eyes at Kratos, who returned it with grim satisfaction. Yuan gaped, shock evident on his usually composed visage.

"Get. Out. Do. Not. Return."

Kratos spun on his heel, feeling liberated, and grateful to be returning to Annabelle at long last. She would be overjoyed when she saw him enter the door way a mere day after his departure.

… … …

"Then you are sure."

Kratos nodded, feeling quite exited, adrenaline flowing through his veins, his heart pounding in his ears like a great hollow drum.

"I wish you luck, then," the man stated.

"I can only hope that no one overheard."

"You needn't worry, old friend. In Yggdrasill's plans I am oft overlooked."

Kratos chuckled, then stood, exiting the room.

He would likely head back to his beloved Anna, Yuan mused. Well, one thing was for sure, Kratos would not be alone in saving The Angelus Project. He would almost certainly have the assistance of The Renegades.

**A/N: Well, 5 more chapters until the end! Wish me luck in your reviews, because, if I finish, this is my first completed multi-chapter work.** **Next chapter we get up-close and personal with the Human Ranch. **


	8. Demon

The Dissenter

Chapter Eight

"_Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all-- the apathy of human beings."_

_- Helen Keller _

**A/N: This chapter starts out pretty light, but you'll be in a morbid mood by the end, trust me. Next chapter is all about the Death Ball (lol, you'll understand soon, I promise). Another interesting reference- there are two "forces" which I capitalize and describe as women, Fate and Coincidence (or Chance). This will come into play with Yuan later, chapter 10 is from his PoV again. ^^ Any way, enjoy this chapter! Four more to go until The Devout begins. **

**Oh, and a note: the prisoners don't actually know that Kratos is an Angel ( "derri" is my Angelic word for Angel), but they call him that because he looks like one. He delivers death to the people in The Ranch, so he's "their Angel."**

She stood on her tip toes, attempting to reach the top shelf in the kitchen pantry. She wanted to eat something, but what she wanted was out of her reach, at the very top of the tall, narrow pantry. She decided after only a little deliberation to attempt to climb the shelves up to the jar of peanuts, perched there so innocently. Unfortunately Fate choose not to smile upon her that day, and she lost her footing, plummeting to the tiled flooring below. In the process she managed to dislodge the flour sack from one of the shelves, and it coursed from the bag to land on top of her, leaving her with a stinging tail bone covered in thick, white dust. On top of that she didn't even manage to get the peanuts.

His laughter interrupted her pouting.

At first she was not really sure what the noise was, it only registered after a moment or so that it was Kratos laughing at her. She turned her head to stare up at him, and his chuckles shifted to deep peals of laughter which he attempted to conceal by covering his mouth with his hand.

"What's so funny?!" she demanded, and he began to shake so hard he had to brace himself on the door frame.

After a long moment ,in which he gained control of himself, he managed to ask ",How did you cover yourself in flour?"

"I was trying to get the peanuts from the top shelf," she informed him ", and I fell."

He shook his head in disbelief ", You couldn't have asked for help?"

"I wanted to do it myself," she asserted.

He snorted ", Must you always be so stubborn?"

"You know, I've never heard you laugh before?" she mused, attempting to change subject.

"You are altering course," he stated rather blandly, though his eyes were warm.

"You have a nice laugh, you know? Deep, I like it," well, if that didn't work, maybe flattery would.

"Anna, what did I," he trailed off, staring at her in a daze ", I do?"

She had to laugh. The was something adorable about the bewildered expression on his face. A few months ago 'adorable' and 'Kratos' would not have shared the same space in her head; adorable was kittens, Kratos was, well, mean. Yet here she was, applying that word to the seemingly stoic man.

"Why are you laughing?" he demanded sternly, loosing effectiveness because of his merry eyes.

"You were so _cute_ Kratos. Your face was so confused, so lost… it was a winning expression," she pushed herself up and out of the flour.

He scoffed, but she could see the blush creeping up to rest on his cheek bones. He was so warm now, so kind to her. She wondered what had changed the man? _You came, and you tore everything asunder. _

"Milord?"

It was the voice of a female Desian, who stood in the room adjacent to the kitchen, looking disgusted. Kratos pivoted to face her, the warmth draining from his face. He stared at the woman for a long period of time before he spoke in a rigid tone ", What is it?"

"Lord K'Var suggests a check up for the Angelus Project. It's termination date is in less than week, so he would like an inspection to prove if she is truly ready." the woman gave Anna a venomous look.

"If I am to be present."

"Lord Kratos," K'Var greeted without so much as a whisper of a warning.

He stood behind his Desian, eyes dark and hungry ", I am here to take you on the scheduled tour, Lord. Of course, it would be most convenient to hold the examination then as we'll be passing right by the Medical Facility."

For an immeasurable moment K'Var and Kratos stared into one another's eyes, daring one another to make a move. Anna wondered what was going through Kratos mind, but then he was at her side and speaking his response, so she had no time to contemplate it.

"Very well. We will depart momentarily. Allow me time to clean off Subject A012."

The two departed from the apartment. Kratos shut the door behind them, and when he turned to face her, his eyes were filled with malice.

"He is doing this to make you suffer by forcing atrocities of The Ranch upon you," he hissed in her ear, beginning to brush her off.

"I've already seen The Ranch. I did live with the other prisoners for two years, remember?" she protested; if he could handle it, she could.

"Not like this. You have not seen it like this."

She didn't know what he meant, but began to help him clean herself. She looked up at him, into those hellish eyes, and became suddenly afraid. That old darkness was back- the darkness she's thought had been chased from him.

"You're really angry, aren't you?" she whispered, trepidation in her voice.

"Of course. What manor of question is that?"

She laughed weakly, smiling suddenly at the thought of reserved Kratos becoming angry on her behalf.

"This isn't a laughing matter." his voice was barely a rumble.

"Thanks, Kratos."

"For what? I have done nothing for you," his voice held a distinct bitterness that bereaved her; did he have no sense of self-worth?

"For being my friend."

This silenced him, and she could hear nothing but the sound of her own breath. An eternity later he spoke ", We should go. Do not stray from my side."

Anna nodded, attempting to mentally prepare herself for whatever was ahead of them both.

… … …

It almost took her breath away, to take in the fresh air, even if it was in the cold Yard of The Human Ranch. The building dwarfed any scenery around them, and the sparse plain about them was dead, save for the wind which forced the grass to wave in a false and languid cheerfulness. It would have been a metal monster, all grey and black, but for the gigantic and cloudless sky; Anna felt that such an expanse would surely swallow her.

In the Yard itself hopeless looking prisoners hauled hefty blocks in purposeless circles. There was no rhyme or reason to who was there - old women and men, teens, adults in their prime, small children- but they all obediently did their work, never once questioning their oppression. It reminded Anna of when she'd first arrived here, a young woman, defiant and full of hope. How quickly the sting of their whips destroyed all spirit.

A claxon sounded in the distance, and a shout echoed off the great, metallic walls, resonating about the Yard. As if by sorcery, all the workers in the yard simultaneously dropped their work, coming to stand in straight lines, silently awaiting their orders. They looked likes ghosts, all skeletal frames, far from their original forms, save for their eyes. Their eyes burned with hatred for their Desian masters. Anna silently thanked Martel for Kratos, for he had returned to her humanity.

K'Var drawled on to Kratos about "Exsphere Production."

Anna knew from the traveling swordsman of her childhood that Exspheres were magical stones that turned you into a super warrior. They apparently enhanced your natural abilities by a great capacity. So, Anna assumed, Human Ranches were Exsphere production plants; was that what The Angelus Project was, a special Exsphere? She'd ask Kratos later.

Then, without warning, they departed to the Medical facilities. There K'Var ran a series of test under Kratos watchful eyes, including probing the strange, glowing stone on her collar bone with a forceps.

The two men conversed briefly, and Anna understood that they both found the condition of the stone to be excellent. Anna began to wonder if Kratos really meant to kill her. Knowing him so well, she had a hard time believing it- he was just A Fallen, a Human Desian, and she thought that he couldn't really abandon his own race. He was a good man: a kind man.

"One more stop," K'Var announced empirically, a smug grin upon his weasel-like face ", and no excuses. Your quarters are out of the way.'

So it was that K'Var lead them to a multi-level prison facility. The chamber had a high ceiling, and no windows to impede light. The only lights had an eerie and unfriendly blue glow, and hummed sinisterly. Anna stifled a whimper as she in took her first breath, riddled with the scent of Human waste. Thousands of people were crammed into tiny holding cells as if they were little more than birds. Their faces were sallow, shadow haunted, lean and hungry. Their clothes dwarfed their emaciated forms, and they were all bald, with heavy, iron collars about their scrawny necks. Hands jutted from the bars like thousands of talons, and they screeched like hawks.

As they shuffled past, a bony hand gripped Anna's wrist, inconceivably strong for a skeleton; claw-like nails dug into her flesh. She spun to face a wraith with terrible eyes, devoid of life, sneering at her. " A plump little pretty, aren't you? A little whore, that's what!"

A group congregated about the ghoul, squawking out insults like "slut," and "prostitute."

"You slept with that Derri to get favors, didn't you?" when she didn't answer the woman spat into her face. "Didn't you?!"

Like a bolt of lightning a pillar of white flesh shot out to grasp the demon's neck. "One more word."

From emptiness to fear and desperation the demon's eyes shifted, and her claws moved to unary his single hand from about her neck.

"That's what I thought."

He released her, and she crumpled in a pile on the floor. " I won't kill you in front of a lady."

"Kr…!" she started, but he slowly shook his head and whispered into her ear.

"No. It's all right. What are friends for?"


	9. Contrast

The Dissenter

Chapter Nine

"_All love that has not friendship for its base, _

_Is like a mansion built upon the sand."_

_-Ella Wheeler Wilcox_

**A/N: Well, I lied. Chapter ten starts the Death Ball. This is all about the preparation for the Ball. A bit more romantic than my previous chapters. Don't worry, nothing really significant happens. More discussion on the events of this chapter at the end. The attraction between Kratos and Anna can be plainly seen in this chapter, but don't let that fool you, in the coming chapters that aspect of their relationship will take a back seat to more urgent matters.**

She felt the gentle shaking of her shoulders and allowed her eyes to flutter open. Above her head hovered his beautiful face, looking immaculate in the darkness that surrounded them. It reminded her of the instance in which they'd first met; that first night when he'd come to her in her cell, looking terrible and picturesque.

He was hard to describe, the type of person he was did not easily conform to words; neither physically nor in terms of his personality. He was very attractive, but not in the typical ways of the world, for he was neither burly like her brother Thomas or lean like her brother Phioro. Kratos was a man of stature, over six feet tall, and though his shoulders were broad he was not overtly muscular. Yet he was strong, every part of his body emphasized by his clothing, though he was far from the lean aesthetic of her brother. The way his body was shaped reminded her of the paintings of the perfect angelic men in the Martel Chapel; too good to be true, and perfectly proportioned. On the other hand, attempting to explain the contradictions of his personality would be much like trying to explain a flame to a blind man.

Of course, she would never admit this to him.

"Mmm? Kratos? What are you doing?" she whispered sluggishly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

He hesitated, then spoke in a very deliberate tone ", Today is the day of your execution."

She frowned, sitting up and feeling her stomach sink in disappointment. Oddly enough, she wasn't at all afraid of the certain death that awaited her. She was just sad that Kratos would allow this to happen after professing to be her friend. She had thought he'd changed for the better, but maybe she'd been wrong.

"Do not worry. I have a plan." He took a single hand into both of his strong fists.

They felt large as they clasped her tiny palm between them. His fingerless gloves allowed her to feel the callousness of his fingers. She looked up at him, and was rendered speechless by the sheer intensity of his eyes.

" I _will _save you."

He broke eye contact very suddenly, pulling away and standing. "Get dressed and meet me in the drawing room."

She nodded, feeling bizarrely nervous. What had just happened? His eyes… They'd held so much emotion.

Inhaling, she stood to prepare for the day ahead of her, feeling silly for having ever doubted him; Kratos was as reliable as the rising and setting of sun.

She dressed and washed quickly, meeting him in the appointed place. She took her seat across from him on a large tan, sofa. He sat in his usual leather chair, looking like a forlorn white island in a sea of black fabric.

He was reading an ancient tome with letters of a language she didn't understand on the binding. Suddenly, he snapped it shut and his interminable eyes settled upon her. "Annabelle."

"You wanted to talk?" she asked, and received a grunt in response.

"Rheiards are technology of the Ancients. They were used during the Ancient War as flying machines to transport people from one location to the next." There was a pause in his speech, and he thumbed through the pages of the book.

A moment later he handed her the volume and pointed to a diagram of what she could only assume to be a Rheiard. It reminded her of a baby dragon, with wings far too large for its body and a rudder-like tail.

"We will use this to escape. I have one, hidden from the Desians. Today a banquet will be held in the honor of our Leader receiving the Exsphere. You and I are expected to attend, wearing out best attire. When we are there you will be introduced to the man who leads the Desians and his closest subordinates, and then you will eat your final meal. After this you will be escorted to…," his voice fell silent, and he looked distraught.

He leaned forward, placing his chin on his fingers, which were laced together. "In order to escape we will have to make quite the spectacle. Please, just do exactly as I tell you when the time comes."

"Are you all right?"

"I simply do not want you to perish in vain. I do not want to loose the first true friend I have made in many years. This is why we must be successful," he cradled his head in his hands, leaning over so that his head was in between his knees. "I must not loose hope."

She placed a hand on his knee, and he looked up at her with that same intensity, though his hair obscured his hellish eyes.

"It will be all right, Kratos. We'll get out, I know it."

"There is a man who we may be able to trust. His name is Yuan, and you will recognize him by his vibrant blue hair." His voice was barley audible, and if she hadn't been so close, she would not have heard him. " He is my oldest and most trusted friend.. If anything were to happen to me… I want you to go to him. He will help you.'

"Kratos, don't talk like that."

"I am being serious," he stated darkly, placing a single hand over hers. "Do not die."

"I… I won't"

Silence engulfed them. He held her hand in place, and gazed at her for what could only be an eternity. There was conflict in his eyes, confusion. They remained like this for awhile, and then, at long last, stood. " We should get ready. There's a dress for you in your bedchamber's closet."

She stood, smiled reassuringly at him, and turned away. Down the hall she went, and when she threw open the door to the closet she nearly let out an audible scream of joy. It was a ball gown with a single strap for her left shoulder, and it was a green as the grass of the earth. The bodice had beads arranged in the pattern of leaves, clear and made of glass so they would catch the light when she moved. There was a sage green sash that would fasten about her waist, providing some contrast to the rest of the gown. She slipped out of her common clothes and into this glorious dress. It was her Death Gown, a morbid thought, but it didn't alter the great beauty of the thing.

After further preparing herself she returned to where Kratos stood, gazing out the picture window. He was wearing his usual form fitting clothing, but this time in complete black. A tunic of the same color was fastened about his waist by a single, silver belt. It had many exotic spiral designs in shades of grey and white traveling gracefully down the front. The rest of the belts were all grey leather, their clasps silver. Of course, he was nothing without his swallow tailed cloak.

Slowly he turned to face her, a jade comb resting in his palm, a single jeweled violet attached to it. He stepped forward to meet her, and tucked behind her ear in her thickening hair. "When your hair grows to be long it will stay much better. Still, I had to give it to you because it matches your eyes." He looked away from her, a slight smile on his lips. " It belonged to my mother. I think she would want you to have it instead of it going to waste in my care."

She stared up at him, wanting to thank him, but unable to form the words to do so.

He offered her a single arm, chuckling musically. She took it and was lead away to the Death Ball.

… … …

Kratos felt disoriented.

She was very beautiful, beginning to look much less like a child and more like a woman. She was also shaping up to be the kind of woman he found desirable, the kind with an ample bust and wide hips. He was finding it impossible to deny an attraction to her, no matter how badly he yearned to.

_Are you fond?_

No. Yuan was wrong.

Kratos knew that it was impossible for him to love. After all, he'd long ago lost all ability to do so. No one had ever shown him that sort of affection, and so he'd learned by route not to return it. Even his own father had hated him.

No. Love was an impossible emotion, one hw could not feel, and he was even grateful he could not.

She was his friend and that is why he wanted to badly to please her, and that is why he felt this overwhelming need to protect her.

She was only his friend.

**A/N: "Do not die." lol. Seriously, though, I didn't try to do that. It wasn't on purpose. ^^ Anyway, I like the contrast between what he believes he's feeling and what he actually feels. Poor Kratos, in denial.** **She is really starting to become a character, isn't she? I can't wait until this ends so I can start on some truly hardcore Kranna! Enjoy! And rate my romance!**


	10. The Death Ball

The Dissenter

Chapter Ten

**A/N: The Death Ball is here!**

"_They who would give up an essential liberty for a temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security."_

_- Benjamin Franklin_

Anna drifted forward through the door of the Great Chamber where the guests were situated. She found it somewhat ironic that they were holding this ball in the place were prisoners got their first glimpse of the Human Ranch. After all, was this not the last place she'd ever see?

The Desians looked worlds different out of their uniforms, so, at first, she didn't recognize them. The realization only hit her once she saw their eyes, and became aware of the loathing for her there. Still, they looked like anybody else, your average Half-Elves and Humans, no more, no less. Were these people really able to terrorize everyone with out batting an eye? It shocked her a bit that they were all so average, but it shouldn't, she supposed, K'Var and Kratos looked relatively normal, after all.

She recognized their leaders by the uniforms they wore, and because they stood in a tight-nit circle, chatting idly with K'Var. All of them were men, and they were all so diverse that Anna found herself wondering if just any Half-Elf off the street could become a Grand Cardinal. K'Var aside, she had never seen any one of them before, so she took some time to examine each of them quite carefully.

The tallest of them was also the thinnest, even more so than anorexic K'Var. He held himself with little dignity, and seemed to have an underhanded quality about him; despite this, he did not seem as ruthless was K'Var, and this was demonstrated by the fact that his uniform was not nearly as decorated. His hair was slicked back into a long, purple pony tail, doing nothing to hide his bony face and the maliciousness of his eyes. She found it bizarre that he had perched a tiny pair of fuchsia spectacles upon the end of his beaky nose.

The shortest of them could not hide his brawn. Unlike Kratos, he was so huge that normal clothing could not be tailored to fit his form. His skin was tanned and weathered looking. Even from this distance Anna could see that he had many metals, but not all of them were for combat. He was more than a gorilla, and Anna suspected that his exterior bellied a sharp mind. Eyes the color of sulfur with irises as black as hell stared jokingly at the others, an oafish grin on his face. For some reason the scarlet dreadlocks that swam about him really fit his personality.

The last was the most handsome, tall, but not too tall, with sea foam green hair. This was marred, however, by the horrific clamp shaped gun attached to his arm and his whirring metallic eye. He looked the most noble because of the many, many medals that adorned his chest. Every once in a while a Desian would walk up and shake his good hand, but he would shoo them away, looking almost humble. She supposed he would be nice enough, if you were a Half-Elf. His eye was ruby, and piercing, the type of eye that could be both fierce and gentle, much like the eyes of her stalwart companion.

Soon enough, Kratos approached them.

When he neared the four stood at attention, looking startled by his sudden appearance, and Anna could sympathize; it sometimes seemed as if Kratos would materialize from nothing to stand and stare at you with his frightening eyes. For them to stand like that, though, in perfect military style, left wrist clamped behind their backs, Kratos must be incredibly important. Just how old was he, anyway? She knew Half-Elves could live for along time, but Kratos was Human.

K'Var and the creepy tall man looked less than pleased to see him standing there, in full regalia. Perhaps he made them feel physically inferior? She wouldn't blame them if he did; Kratos was a fine specimen of manhood, and far more attractive than them. She doubted that was it, though. The other two looked pleased to see him standing there, eager to hear just what it was that he had to say.

"I'm sure you all remember Master Kratos?" K'Var asked the others, and they nodded.

"This is The Angelus Project?" the one with violet hair asked in a voice just perfect for his face: creepy.

"Yes, and I would appreciate it if you gentleman kept your hands to yourselves. I will not have my handiwork spoiled," he pulled her into his chest protectively.

"She looks quite fetching, for vermin," dreadlocks stated, his voice full of implications she was quite sure she didn't like. "Did you dress her, Master?"

"I selected the dress, yes. Thank you for the compliment."

Funny, he didn't sound grateful.

"What is your Human Name, Project?"

The question from the sea foam haired man caught her off guard because he was addressing her, something Desians almost never did ", Anna, sir.'

"I am Forcystus. I've heard much about you from Master Yuan, and you seem every bit as resilient as he claimed. Not many Desians would be able to withstand coming to a Ball celebrating their own death. It's a shame you must die, our Organization could use someone like you. It's not often you find an Inferior Being who is able to join us."

Kratos nodded ", She is a good companion."

The man with dreadlocks laughed, and she began to look around, ignoring their conversation and the turn it had taken.

The room itself had been decorated grandly, maroon cloth covering all the walls save for that of the entrance. A banner was hung there, all black save for the insignia upon it. It looked like a magic circle, but with wings emerging from something that resembled triangles. Each of the wings was a different color, one violet, one blue, and one fuchsia, with the fuchsia one closest to the top on the other two on either side. The rest of the room was set up with many round tables covered in cloths of white, one much larger than the others that had a black table cloth instead. Around it were nine chairs, three of which were very large and had crests engraved into the back of them. Upon each of the tables was a single flower that glowed faintly blue in the darkness.

She examined the seal closest to her. It was in the shape of a shield, a falcon with wings outspread behind it. The wings wrapped protectively around a blade shaped much like flame, and the archaic ruin for "Dawn" or "Horizon" loomed behind it.

She was brought back to the real world by the dead silence that had settled over the room like a leaden curtain. She glanced around to see that the four leaders had gone completely rigid, not even seeming to breath. She moved to do the same, but Kratos grabbed her arm and shook his head, pointing to the doorway. In the doorway stood the most feminine looking man she had ever seen. His golden hair cascaded about him like a fountain, making him into the perfect Seraph, garbed in immaculate white.

He was flanked by a woman with a voluptuous figure adorned in an extremely low-cut gown, revealing the skin of her stomach. Her mint green hair was long and luscious, and Anna envied her for it.

On his other side was a tall, hawkish man with eyes the color of slate. He was thin all over, and this was made even more apparent by his flowing cape several sizes too large for him. His long, reflective, electric blue hair fell about his already thin face making it look even more thin. This man could be none other than Yuan, friend of Kratos.

"Old friend!" the beautiful man called out to Kratos. "Take your rightful place at my side once more and let us go dine."

He danced forward, as graceful as a pixie, and embraced Kratos, who dwarfed his small frame.

"Of course, Yggdrasill," Kratos stated ever so smoothly.

"Oh!" came a small gasp, perfect for this man, as he craned his neck around Kratos shoulder, his eyes possessive. "Is this her?"

"It is," came the simple response.

"Well, introduce us," the man demanded.

Kratos nodded stiffly ", Lord Yggdrasill, this is A012, Annabelle Griff, The Angelus Project," he motioned toward her with a flick of his wrist. "Annabelle, this is Lord Yggdrasill, our leader."

He released Kratos, took her hand , and kissed the back of it, bowing. "A pleasure. I threw this banquet in honor of your noble contribution to our cause, you deserve a reward for your faithful service. I thank you, Miss Griff."

She curtsied, avoiding eye contact, though she could sense mal intent. " Of course, Milord. I am most honored to be in your presence."

His laughter was bells ", You have her well trained, my friend.'

Kratos said nothing, though she could see the fury in his eyes.

Yggdrasill, paying him no mind, ushered them forward, linking his arm through hers as if they were two school children ", Have you met Yuan? He's a bit stuffy, but you'd be hard pressed to find a sharper mind."

"No, Milord, I haven't," she responded, glancing back to see Kratos at this man's right hand side.

"Hello, Miss Griff," the voice was soft, and to the left.

Yuan's voice was quiet but it commanded a great deal of discreet power and made the hairs on her arm stand on end.

"H-hello, Sir Yuan."

"My other subordinates are Pronyma, K'Var, Forcystus, Magnius, and Rodyle," Yggdrasill prattled. " Your seat is next to Kratos, Annie."

Kratos took her hand and helped her sit in one of the smaller chairs. He then took his seat in one of the crested chairs, specifically the one she'd had a chance to look at. What did the crest mean?

All about them Desians settled into the other seats, and she found herself staring into the eyes of the woman and seated next to Forcystus. Yggdrasill stood and everyone in the room snapped their heads to view him. It was eerie.

"Today we are here to celebrate the completion of The Angelus Project. This means we are one step closer to the Glorious age of Half-Elves. "

There was a resounding cheer that shook the foundations of the room.

"Kratos, my Right Hand, deserves congratulations for his amazing work on this project. As you all know, he and Yuan are my most trusted subordinates and deserve your respect and obedience. Now, let us eat."

He clapped his hands once and hundreds of prisoners poured into the hall, escorted by a few Desians still in their armor. They were all carrying trays, vast silver platters, full of food of all sorts. It looked delicious, and Anna was quite hungry, but she felt nauseous knowing what these poor people had been through to prepare it for her and the Desians.

The din of chatter steadily filled the room, and Anna tuned out the conversation, concentrating, instead, on her food. She noticed that Kratos, Yuan and Yggdrasill himself were not eating, despite the fact that they had mountains of food piled in front of them. Kratos took her hand and held it under the table, casting a brief, reassuring smile her way.

Yggdrasill froze without a warning, his empty green eyes snapping to the doorway. In a voice akin to ice he demanded of those is his company ", Did you hear that?"

A blast caused the bulwark to the room to rumble and a sea of faces similar to that of Desians forced their way through the vast double doors.

"RENEGADES!!!!" someone screamed in terror, and though Anna did not know what that meant, she heard a clattering as the Desians rose in defense.

Kratos hoisted her to her feet, and she felt his lips tickle her ear ", We run now. Their appearance was not planned, but it works to out advantage."

He pulled her to the door and down the labyrinth of hallways, ceasing to move only at the doorway to the room where he had stowed the Rheiards. The calls of battle and screams of death echoed down the hallway, nearly over powered by Yggdrasill's furious screams, and Anna shivered, grateful to be with Kratos.

He pushed her into the room, paused at some kind of blue control panel, pressed a few buttons, and then picked her up. She let out a soft screech of surprise as he lifted her up and onto a red and white version of what had been illustrated so accurately in that book. He then jumped on himself.

" Hold tight. Do not look down."

The sensation of weightlessness overwhelmed her and they hovered in the air. With the hum of electricity and a burst of air they exited hell and zoomed into the infinite sky, never to look back again.

**A/N: TWO MORE TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Review are nice. Please Review. **


End file.
